Leaching apparatus.



U. WEDGE.

LEACHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR- 1. I915.

Patented June 12, 1917.

entrain srarns arms rice,

UTLEY WEDGE, or ARDMORE, PENNSYLVANIA.

. LEACI-IING APPARATUS.

rapid and effective operation, and ready charging and discharging.

This Ob ect I attaln 1n the manner hcrelnafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawing which represents in vertical section a simple form of leaching device constructed in accordance with my invention.

The machine shown in the drawing comprises an outer vertical structure or framework 1, composed by preference of suitably braced vertical legs, which support a series of superposed annular pans 3, each having a perforated false bottom at, the chamber between the bottom of each'pan and the false bottom 4: pipe 5, with a discharge pipe 6 common to all of the pans. In like manner the chamber of each pan above the false bottom communicates, through a valved pipe 7, with a discharge pipe 8 common to all of the pans. Axially disposed in respect to the pans is a shaft 2, which may be supported and rotated in any available manner and this shaft carries a series of pipes 9, one for each of the pans 3, thes pipes discharging into the pans above the perforated false bottoms of the same, and communicating at their upper ends with a vessel 10 mounted at the top of the shaft 2, and receiving the leaching liquid or other material from a pipe 11.

In the operation of the machine the pans may be charged in any desired way with the material to be leached, for instance, said material may be mixed with water so as to readily flow through the pipes 9 and be discharged thereby into the respective pans 3, th solid matters being deposited upon the perforated false bottom 4 of each pan, and the liquid flowing off into the chamber below said perforated bottom and thence through one of the, valved pipes 5 into the discharge pipe 6.

After the pans 3 have become filled with the ore or other material to be leached, the

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 1, 1915.

communicating, through a valved Patented June 12, 191%. Serial No. 11,364.

pipes 9 may be caused to discharge, into and through the mass, water or other solvent of soluble matters which may be mixed or combined with the ore, this operation being continued until the thorough leaching of the material in each pan has been effected, whereupon the valves in the pipes 5 may be closed and those in the pipes 7 opened so as to wash the material from the pans into the pipe 8, whereby it may be conveyed to any suitable point of discharge for further utilization.

Flow through the pipes 9 may be readily cut off by plugging the upper ends of said pipes or by equivalent means.

As the device is practically continuous in its operation the capacity of the same in proportion to its size is great and as the handling of the material is practically automatic the machine can be operated with a minimum expenditure of labor.

It is immaterial to my invention whether the pipes 9 or the pans 8, or both, rotate, and the flow of the leaching liquid may be either up or down.

Where one of the elements of the machine rotates such rotating element may perform various functions, for instance, it may serve to feed, uniformly throughout the pans, the material to be leached, to discharge such material from the pans after the leaching has been efliected, or to stir or agitate it during the leaching operation, such feed, agitation or discharge being efiected either by machanical devices, or by liquid flow, and it may also serve to effectively and uniformly distribute the leaching liquid throughout the mass of material to be leached after said ma terial has been deposited in the pans.

I claim:

1. The combination, in a leaching apparatus, of a series of superposed pans, each having a perforated false bottom, means for conveying the material to be leached to said pans, a pair of discharge pipes, one communicating with each of the pans below the false bottom and the other communicating with each of the pans above said false bottom, and valved connections through which such communications are effected.

2. The combination, in a leaching apparatus, of a series of superposed pans, each having a perforated false bottom, means for feeding to said pans material to be leached, means for rotating one of said elements in respect to the other, a pair of dis- In testimony whereof, I have signed my charge plpes, one communlcatlng wlth each name to thls speclfic'atlon, 1n the presence of of the pans below the false bottom thereof tWo subscrlblng Witnesses.

and the other communicating with each of UTLEY WEDGE. the pans above said false bottom, and valved "Witnesses:

connections through Which such communica- KATE A. BEADLE,

tions are eifected. HAMILTON D. TURNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

